University experts knowledge needed;

[tara40]

Lol, I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself. Your son is only just doing his GCSEs. I wouldn't worry about uni fees, loans & repayments until he gets to that point. He has at least 2 years of more study before he needs to be thinking about that & there's no point putting pressure on him now.

My OH is making repayments on his student loan now but it's not much & he earns about £22k a year. I have some student loan but left midway through my degree because I decided it wasn't what I wanted & refused to waste more loans on something I wasn't going to pursue.

I think it's a little selfish to expect to learn in the UK & then bugger off for 5 years just so you don't have to repay your loans! If you borrow the money then you should be expected to pay it back! I'm glad it's just a rumour.

I dont and wouldnt put any pressure on my son. it is life and his choice. i only posted this because it was something that i had heard.

Also i hope that your last paragraph wasnt aimed at me as I have not said that this was something that i wanted my son to do. it was just an enquiry.

 

[jaylou]

Lol, I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself. Your son is only just doing his GCSEs. I wouldn't worry about uni fees, loans & repayments until he gets to that point. He has at least 2 years of more study before he needs to be thinking about that & there's no point putting pressure on him now.

Really??? My daughter is only 13 and I'm already saving hard for her university education! I'll help her as much as I can but I can't afford to pay for the lot so she'll have to get loans.

The OP's are correct, the rules are changing and the repayment threshold will go up soon. However, I do think that if you choose to go to university then you should pay it back and I don't see why the debt should be written off at any point. Why don't people pay when the go abroad? That sounds a bit odd to me!

 

[tara40]

I wasn't saying that i am telling my son to go abroad. I just heard something and I thought that someone on here would be able to help confirm. I didnt realise me asking a question would cause so many problems.x

 

[jaylou]

I wasn't saying that i am telling my son to go abroad. I just heard something and I thought that someone on here would be able to help confirm. I didnt realise me asking a question would cause so many problems.x

Tara I wasn't having a dig at you.
I don't think your post has caused any problems at all

 

[kingleds]

I wasn't saying that i am telling my son to go abroad. I just heard something and I thought that someone on here would be able to help confirm. I didnt realise me asking a question would cause so many problems.x

I don't think you have! Nothing wrong with trying to understand what the deal is if & when he does come to go to uni. Nothing wrong with trying to prepare yourself for his future by saving your money, or helping him look at uni's or whatever. I've been saving for my niece to go to uni since she turned 5 and I realised she were going to be cleaver enough to go, and my sister wouldn't be able to help her out. Its up to where she goes, and what she does (has helpfully narrowed her choices to Medicine & law - why didn't she just add vet into the mix to make it even more expensive! ), but I will help her out as much as I can. A good education is important, and doing it without the worry of £40k debt at the end is just as important.

It may be a controversial opinion so will say this very quietly. I have less of a problem with someone borrowing money off a corporate organisation (ie. Student Loans Company) and then bending a residency rule so they don't have to pay it back for a while, than I have with someone using taxpayers money to get a first class education, then moving abroad & never paying any tax.

 

[JemmaBe]

Really??? My daughter is only 13 and I'm already saving hard for her university education! I'll help her as much as I can but I can't afford to pay for the lot so she'll have to get loans.

. A good education is important, and doing it without the worry of £40k debt at the end is just as important.

I

I think that it's fair enough to get a loan and come out with debt. 40k is a lot of debt, but equally, you won't be benefiting from the financial rewards that come from going to university.
And it's more of a tax than debt. If you stop earning a loan shark isn't going to be knocking on your door.

 

[jaylou]

I agree it is fair.
No one is forced to go to university. It's a choice!

 

[kingleds]

I went to uni when there were grants and no fees, so it feel a little bit unfair to then say I agree with tuition fees etc. However, it is what it is - I'm just hoping I can limit the debt my nieces finish uni with.

 

[tara40]

Also we want our children to have the benefit of the best and i dont want him to be stuck with a job "that will do" rather than one that they will love.

 

[jaylou]

What makes you think that having a degree will get them a job they love?
I don't have a degree but I have worked my way up in a company, starting on a low wage to now earn a decent salary which is more than a lot with a degree.

A degree does not guarantee a job, nor job satisfaction. A degree is not the be all and end all - apprenticeships are fantastic, as are many other jobs.

People seem to think that all kids must go to university these days and that not having a degree makes them a lesser person. I don't think that's the case. It all depends what that degree is in and what they do with it.

This has gone off topic now but I really don't think the university is necessarily the best option for everyone, and it may not be for your children either.

 

[*EB*]

I didnt go to University because i come from a family where my parents do not work (for legitimate reasons) and they could not afford to send me - i made a choice not to go as i had very poor career advice in school (or i didnt listen - one of the two!).

I decided to do vocational qualifications and have achieved a CIPD in Human Resources (equiv to a masters) and also a Diploma in Payroll Management whilst working full time, and also from going to college on the nights for 4 years (total!).

I think it is so hard for young people to get out of debt in life itself (buying houses/cars etc), never mind student loans!

There are other options to educate yourself, not just Uni.

x

 

[tara40]

my son wants to do something in sport, whether he becomes a pe teacher or his top ambition would be to work within a football team. to do this he will need a degree. so for him it is not possible for him to work his way up the ladder. would much prefer it if he could do this. where he could be sponsored to take a degree. My nephew is hoping to go into a Merchant Bank, and my mum, who used to work for a Merchant Bank, has told him that he would be better securing a position and then doing his degree through them.

But knowing my son, i would say that University is the best way for him to go. Not because i am a pushy mum, but because I agree with his decision that it is the best option for him regardless of the debt he walks out with.

 

[kingleds]

my son wants to do something in sport, whether he becomes a pe teacher or his top ambition would be to work within a football team. to do this he will need a degree. QUOTE]

Now I understand the Loughborough thing more - I had a few college friends who went to Loughborough on Sports scholarships - which is always something to consider as well.

If he wants to work within a football then you are still best off getting him some experience of working with a football team as well. They all run outreach programmes and the FA are trying to get more people into coaching as well so you should be able to get him some experience that way.

 

[tara40]

my son wants to do something in sport, whether he becomes a pe teacher or his top ambition would be to work within a football team. to do this he will need a degree. QUOTE]

Now I understand the Loughborough thing more - I had a few college friends who went to Loughborough on Sports scholarships - which is always something to consider as well.

If he wants to work within a football then you are still best off getting him some experience of working with a football team as well. They all run outreach programmes and the FA are trying to get more people into coaching as well so you should be able to get him some experience that way.

I will look at the scholorship approach, thanks for that. At the moment he is an assistant coach for under 7's team. he is also a FA registered referee. as well as playing in an under 18 team, (next season). he is also having trials for the footie team at his college. somewhere in all that he has to fit in time to study!!! I forgot, when he is in college he will do his FA level 1 coaching badge. he had to be 16 to do this.